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Welcome, I'm Monique! Ambitious Kitchen is a blog devoted to clean eating, healthier baked treats, plus my passion for fitness and nutrition. Bottom line, I love to inspire others in and out of the kitchen! Read more.

Lentil & Quinoa Chili {vegan & gluten free}

It’s been incredibly warm in Minnesota so I’ve been trying to workout outside as much as possible. Yesterday I biked 15 miles; my legs are feeling a little tired today! I find that drinking lots and lots of water helps with all of the aches. That and a giant spoonful of peanut butter. Hehe.

My meals are all prepared for the week, too! I’m trying to eat clean so I baked garlic chicken, and roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes. I also made some delicious gluten free pumpkin bars, and sauteed kale & garden veggies. I don’t have much free time on the weeknights so my meals need to be ready. Plus it helps me to stay on track when trying to eat right.

Last week I made this delicious vegetarian chili packed with lentils & quinoa. Mmmmmm!

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add garlic and cook for a minute or until fragrant and slightly golden. Add onion and red pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add in tomatoes, cumin, chili and salt and pepper; bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until tomatoes begin to break down.

Add broth, quinoa, and lentils; bring back to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until lentils are tender and quinoa has expanded.

Stir in black beans, kidney beans, and cilantro. You can add a bit more broth if you feel you do not have enough, either way chili will continue to thicken. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Simmer a few minutes more. Serves 7; about 1 cup each. Top with avocado if desired.

Yep, a giant spoonful of peanut butter can fix almost anything!
And so could this chili…it looks awesome. Green lentils are so much cuter than brown, don’t you think?
I can’t wait to try some of this chili with a big hunk of corn bread! Yum.

I made this a couple days back and before it was finished my husband kept complaining about it being vegitarian (“Not even a little bit of ground meat? No? How about chicken? Argh!”) but not after het tried it! So good! I did top it off with a bit of cheddar cheese for extra yumminess!